Stringy Cheesy Calorie Free (just kidding!) Eggplant Lasagna

I am slightly allergic to milk and struggle with ice cream, cheese, and yogurt. Ironically, one of my favorite things in any meals is stringy, melty, delicious cheesiness. So, pump myself full of lactaid (the natural version from Henry's for other allergic foodies out there!) and indulge is my take on Italian, Mexican, oh who am I kidding anything!

Enough about milk already, time for the recipe! This delicious little number has eggplant (YUM! One of my top favorite foods!) and enough melty cheese to... well, I'm not sure what you'd do with melty cheese, but you'll get your fix here!

Ingredients:

• Two eggs
• 1/2 of the 15 oz container of Skim Ricotta Cheese
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• One 16 ounce jar of Ragu (or your favorite pre-made sauce)
• No-boil lasagna noodles (so easy!)
• One 2 cup bag of shredded Italian cheeses
• Sprinkle of salt and pepper (to your liking)
• One sizable eggplant

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on each.
3. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices.
4. Place half of the eggplant slices on each pan.
5. Turn to coat with the oil, then arrange in a single layer.
6. Bake until tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
7. Remove eggplant from the oven.
8. Cover the bottom of the 9x9 casserole dish with spaghetti sauce.
9. Place noodles on top of the sauce, making a single layer.
10. Mix together the two eggs and ricotta cheese in a bowl.
11. Add the two cloves of minced garlic and sprinkle in salt and pepper.
12. Mix together ricotta cheese mixture.
13. Cover the noodles with 1/3 of the ricotta mix. Make sure to spread it solidly across the noodles.
14. Add another layer of sauce over the ricotta.
15. Place eggplant slices on the sauce in a single layer.
16. Add another layer of ricotta.
17. Add another layer of noodles.
18. Add another layer of sauce.
19. Add the final layer of eggplant.
20. Add another layer of sauce.
21. Add the final layer of ricotta.
22. Add the final layer of noodles.
23. Add the final layer of sauce.
24. Cover the top of the sauce with the Italian cheese. (This can be done to your liking. I happen to love cheese -did I mention that yet?- so I use a lot!)
25. Once topped to your fancy, cover the top tightly with tinfoil and pop into the oven.
26. Let cook for 40-45 minutes -until the cheese on the top is all melty and warm.
27. Remove from oven, let stand as long as you can resist (only five minutes in my kitchen!)
28. Enjoy!

Jason's rating: only 3.5 stars. He doesn't accept cheese as a legit protein. I thought the hot italian sausage I put as a side on his would work, but he said there needed to be a real protein in the lasagna. Oh, technicalities!